ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20512, 31 May 1938, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES THEATRE ROYAL Fred Mae Murray and Joan Renneft play the lending ' roles in "Thirteen Hours by Air.” an exciting story of murder and intrigue on a transcontinental transport plane. In the ea«t which supports them are Xasu Pitts. John Howard. Bennie Bartlett. Grace Bradley, Alan Baxter. Brian Donlevy. Bulb Donnelly and Fred Keating. The film, much of it made in the sky and at airports on the New York-San Francisco route, is authentic hi every detail. The setting for "Coronado” is one of the world’s most fashionable beach resorts, the Hotel Coronado in Southern California, where Betty Burgess plays the part of an entertainer with Eddv Duchln’s orchestra. Youthful, handseme Johnny Downs is the son of a millionaire motor manufacturer who comes to the hotel and falls in love with the orchestra's singer, but falls to convince the girl that he loves her. The story works up to an interesting climax.

CIVIC THEATRE Youthful Bobby Breen has his newest starring role in “Hawaii Calls.’ which tells an engaging story taken i from an adventure tale by Don Bland- ! ing. writer of Hawaiian poetry and fiction. It concerns the exploits of a little American orphan and his Hawaiian companion, who stow away on an outward-bound liner in an attempt to pet to Hawaii. On it they are aided by a ship’s musician (Ned Sparks, . With his help they are able to pet. ashore at Honolulu, and then begins a round of hilarious adventures, j Finally they become involved in a spy i hunt, and with the capture of the desperadoes their happiness is complete. Delightful song numbers ore given by Bobby. Among them are several lilting Hawaiian melodies and the Irish sonir “ Macushla.” Famous Waikiki Beach and other places of interest in the island paradise form the background for the action. Phlegmatic Ned Fparks and Irvin Cobb are important players. STATE THEATRE The perennial romantic problem, “Should a pirl marry a man for his money?” receives an astonishing and entertaining treatment in “Lo\e on a Bet." (ienc Baycnond's new comedy. A debutantp is engaged fo a million - , aire until Raymond unleases unique hut irresistible courtship which coni vinces her that it is better to marry a merry pauper than a dull and moneyed millionaire. Wendy Barrie has the female romantic lead, ' with Helen Broderick in a comedy role. The glittering rooms of chance at Monte Carlo provide the setting for the opening of the drama of “ Cham- , pagne Charlie.” Mere Paul Cavanagh is sacrificing thousands to the fickle goddess, while Miss Wood, possessor of £4,000,000 of inherited wealth, I manages to win mere thousands. | Desperately at tha end of his resources. Cavanagh falls in with the I plan of his backers to have him woo and win Miss Wood, with exciting results.

ROXY THEATRE “The Good Earth" is one of the most impressive films ever screened. It deals with the life of a Chinese family, and shows how they fight poverty, pestilence, famine and war, and win through. The audience follows with tense interest the experiences of this family, and the drama, romance and comedy of their lives are presented very convincingly. There are some spectacular scenes: that showing the plague of locusts is particularly impressive, while the plight of the refugees in the present war is shown very strikingly. Luise Rainer gives a great performance as the Chinese woman, and Paul Muni, though not quite so fine, gives a good performance. They are supported by a fine cast. The Dionne Quintuplets’ third birthdav partv makes a very interesting and appealing film, and “Wayward Pups ’ is a delightful cartoon in colour. There are also some interesting newsreels. REGENT THEATRE The magic of the motion picture camera brings back to life some of the 1 most stirring and colourful days in S American history in “Wells Fargo," a J romance with Joel McCrea and Frances I Dee. The romance is built around the 1 family fortunes of a pioneer Western I family, from the time the first pony express rider carried his bag of precious mail out of St. Louis for the reI mote mining camps of the high sierras, I and ends with the close of the war be - 1 tween the States. Bob Burns, Lloyd ! Nolan, Henry O'Neill, Porter Hall, j Robert Cummings and Ralph Morgan are in the supporting cast, which numbers more than 2000. “LOVERS AND LUGGERS" “Lovers and Luggers,” to be 1 screened to-morrow, is said to be the 1 best Australian film yet made. Lloyd j Hughes was imported from America to take the leading male role.